I will summarize the initial test flight data here.

Home airport - 2V1 Pagosa Springs, Colorado 7650 msl, 8500 ft. long x 60 ft. wide

Aircraft Specs:

Van's Aircraft RV8 quick build kit.

Lycoming O-360 A1A, built by Lycon, Visalia, CA. Bendix fuel injection. NFS 10:1 pistons. 4 into 1 exhaust.

MT 72" 3-blade prop. Grove Aircraft aluminum gear legs. Day VFR (no gyros, T/C only).

empty weight 1054 lbs. Wheel pants not installed (actually, I haven't started fitting them).

First flight 10/14/02   about 30 minutes.

Engine started easily, ran well. taxi testing went without problems. I took off to the south, toward lower terrain, using full power (2700 rpm, 22.5" M.P.) and made a large left pattern, staying within what I thought might be gliding distance to the airport. As I turned onto a wide downwind, I realized I had gained 2000 ft. I reduced power to 2450 and 20", turned off the boost pump, and climbed to 10,500 msl (about 3000 agl). I then reduced power to 18" M.P. to hold the indicated airspeed down. I continued to orbit the airport while I caught my breath. Everything seemed to work as it should. Engine temps were in the green. I did one power off, full flaps stall, read less than 50 KIAS. After 30 mins, I returned to the runway, wheel landed (pretty good one), and taxied back to the hangar.

I pulled the cowl off, there were no leaks, and no parts laying in the bottom. I went to the local watering hole and celebrated.

The next morning, during the pre-flight, I noticed my Andair fuel selector was seeping some fuel around the shaft that selects the tank. It was very slow, when I wiped the stain off, no more appeared. I thought maybe the seal had seated now that it had been operated. I flew again, this time for 2 hours. I started taking some data.

Initial rate of climb at 105 KIAS - 1500 fpm (as I pass through 8000 msl). Cruise speed about 175 kts. TAS (gps legs).  Airspeed indicator seems pretty close (about 150 KIAS at cruise at 9,500 msl). CHTs are a little high, 415 or so at full MP, 2450 rpm. Engine is probably still a little tight.

Unfortunately, the fuel selector is still seeping fuel. I had taken a rag with me just in case, and occasional wipe was all that was needed, still, not good to have any fuel in the cabin.

After this flight, I flew for another 45 minutes, to use some more fuel, in preparation for replacing the fuel selector. With the lower fuel level in the tanks, it has quit seeping on the ground, but is still seeping a little in the air. I have contacted Andair (after Van's told me it was my problem), and they are sending a new one (from England), so, I am grounded for now.

This is really a neat airplane. Handling is everything everyone says. I am really looking forward to some trips, and some goofing around with it.

11/8/02     I have received the new valve from Andair. No more leaks! And very good service from them.

I have flown again, and the data is not changed much, but CHTs seem lower, about 400 F. Now, my Lasar ignition went into backup mode, so I am working that problem.

11/22/02   Upon contacting Harry Fenton at Unison, I was finally sent an interface cable to allow me to hook a laptop to the controller to see what is wrong. This took a week. The terminal emulator on the laptop reads a set of operating parameters from the controller (RPM, MP, etc) and also an error code. In this case the error code indicated a bad right mag. After being sent the wrong mag, I finally got the right one, installed it, and flew after two weeks down time, of course a time of beautiful weather.

Wheel pants...during the above down time, I fitted the wheel pants to the airplane. I also adjusted the angle of incidence of the horizontal stabilizer (up 1/8" under the front spar). Now I seem to have a cruise speed of 180 kts at 9000 ft msl, at 2450 rpm and open throttle. Further testing to follow.

4/19/03  65 hours tach time. I have had no further problems with the Lasar ignition. During the holidays, I increased the size of the opening for the exit of cooling air. This lowered my CHTs to the 375-380 range at 8000 feet.

I flew the airplane to Sun n Fun. While there, I flew the Sun 100 race. The engine performed perfectly at wide open settings (29.2" MAP, 2700 RPM, 19 gph) for the duration of the race (just under 30 minutes). At this power setting, CHTs were about 360 degrees (the denser air at 500' msl doing a better job of cooling) and the oil temp was 175. This race is run from a standing start to a flying finish, and I averaged 188.39 kts. This was good for 3rd place in the 200 HP RV class, unfortunately, there were only 3 of us. To my competitors, I shall return!

With the paint job, I was told I would gain 5 mph cruise speed. This turned out to not be true, and I seem to still have a 180 kt cruise speed at 8000 ft. msl.